Monday, July 27, 2009

Astronaut laments loss of polar ice, glaciers

Bob Thirsk, an astronaut two months into his six months stint on the International Space Station has noticed some changes on our globe.

From Reuters and Yahoo!News:

"A Canadian astronaut aboard the International Space Station said on Sunday it looks like Earth's ice caps have melted a bit since he was last in orbit 12 years ago.

...He is mostly in awe when he looks out the window, particularly at the sliver of atmosphere wrapped around the planet.

"'It's a very thin veil of atmosphere around the Earth that keeps us alive,' Thirsk said during an in-flight news conference. 'Most of the time when I look out the window I'm in awe. But there are some effects of the human destruction of the Earth as well.'

'This is probably just a perception, but I just have the feeling that the glaciers are melting, the snow capping the mountains is less than it was 12 years ago when I saw it last time,' Thrisk said. 'That saddens me a little bit.'"

No, Bob, that is not just a perception, but I'm sure the denialists appreciate your political neutrality.


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